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F. R. ALLEN.

STA MP AFFIXING MACHINE. APPUCATION FILED NOV. 14. IBIO- RENEWED FEB.25. 1916.

l ,1 94,692. Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

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a; I 6 4- V 72 SwuMoz WWW \Hed 1?. 22.... Mm: ac If F. R. ALLEN. STAMPAFFIXING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14. 1910. RENEWED FEB. 25,1916.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

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7 6d 71. Hide) FRED R. ALLEN, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND,.ASSIGNOR, BYMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO NATIONAL ENVELOPE SEALING AND STAMPINGMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS, (ORGANIZED IN STAMP-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 14, 1910, Serial No. 592,386. RenewedFebruary 25, 1916. Serial No. 80,538.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED R. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,andresident of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStamp-Aflixing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for affixing stamps to envelops andother mail matter, and has particular reference to that type of suchmachines which are operated by a hand driven plunger, the stampssupplied in the form of a strip which is intermittently advanced.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a machine ofthis character having improved means for moistening that portion of theenvelop to which the stamp is afterward applied by means of the plunger.

Another obj ect is to provide a support for a coil of stamps in stripform wherein the slight friction desirable for preventing too freeunwinding of the coil, is applied to the outer circumference of thecoil.

Another object, and a particular one, is to provide a structure whichwill prevent unauthorized removal of stamps either singly or the entirestock.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully cleseribed andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawmgs: Figure 1 is a side elevation and partsection of a machine constructed in accordance with my presentinvention. Fig. 2- is a view from the left of Fig. 1, with the frontplate of the plunger box or guard removed, and with other parts insection or broken out. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of that portion ofthe machine which directly supports and operates on the envelop. Fig.lis an inner face view of the moistening attachment removedfromthe maincasing. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the improvedknife structure. Fig. 6 is a detail view, partly broken out, of theplunger foot and the cutter members. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of thestrip advancing or feed mechanism. Fig. 8- represents a transversesection of the table over which the strip of stamps is fed. Figs. 9 and10 are detail elevations of the two parts of the fixed cutter member.Fig. 11- is a side elevation of the block of felt or" other absorbentmaterial which is employed in the .at tachment shown in Fig. 4C.

Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in allof the views.

The casing comprises a suitably formed base 15 which may be portable ormay be secured on any suitable support and a top port on 16 and amovable part 1 The latter 1s preferably substantially semi-cylindricalwith integral side members, the whole being pivotally connected at 18 tothe base so that it may be swung outwardly to permit a roll of stamps tobe placed in the easmg. The movable portion 17 is shown as formed with akey-hole 19 through which a key may be inserted to actuate a latch orlock 20 which is engaged with a keeper 21 integral with or rigidlyconnected to the top portion of the casing. The member 17 is providedwith a curved extension 22 so that a long strip of stamps in the form ofa coil, may be supported thereon in such manner that when the end of thestrip is pulled out the entire coil will rotate while resting on thesupport provided by the lower portion of the member 17 and the extension22, this support being practically semi-circular or cup-shaped so thatthe coil can be simply dropped therein and the friction which will thenoppose drawing out of the strip will be brought about by the weight ofthe coil, said friction occurring at the periphery thereof.

The casing is formed with aflat part 23 to which the table or plate 2 1is suitably secured. An end gage 25 having a slot 26 for a set screw 27may be employed to determine the proper position for an envelop to whicha stamp is to be affixed. By adjusting the end gage to its outer limit,two stamps can be aflixed to the envelop in succession before the end ofthe envelop will reach the gage.

Mounted in a suitable bearing in the upper part of the casing is aplunger 28 having a knob or head 29 and a foot 30, the latter preferablyhaving a pad 31 of rubber or other suitable elastic material. The casingisprovided with a boxing or guard 32 in which the plunger footreciprocates, the

The plunger foot carries the movable cutter. Said foot is provided wlthhorlzontal guide holes for pins 33 projecting rearwardly from the knifeblade 34:, a spring 35 mounted in a recess in the plunger foot.

pressing said knife blade outwardly to insure cotiperation of said knifeblade with the fixed knife member. The rear plate 36 of the housing inwhich the plunger foot reciprocates, is provided with a recess 37 (seeFig. 9) in which is secured the fixed knife member 38 (see Fig. 10)which comprises a block of hardened steel or other suitable metal. Theplate 36 may be of relatively soft metal, but the block 38 must be ofhard metal so as to present a durable knife edge 39 (see Fig. 5.) Thesides of the recesses in plate 36 are shown as formed with recesses 40,and the ends of the block 38 are shown as formed with recesses 41 sothat, when the block 38 is in the position shown in Fig. 5, it may belocked therein by suitable pins driven into the holes formed by thecotiperation of the recesses 40, 41. The block 36 is provided with screwholes a2 through which attaching screws may pass into lugs 43 of thecasing (see Fig. 1.) The upper edge of block 38 is spaced sufficientlyfrom the opposite edge of the recess in plate 36 to form a slot 1-1through which the strip of stamps passes as indicated in Fig. 1. Saidstrip is led over an inner supporting table 45 the upper surface ofwhich is preferably longitudinally grooved or corrugated as shown inFig. 8. To insure proper passage of the strip along the table 45, Ipreferably employ aguide such as indicated at 46 in Fig. 7, said guideconsisting of two strips connected together at one end and pivotallysupported at 41-7 and having an upwardly curved rear end 1-8. A spring419 suitably secured at one end, is connected at its other end to an car50 of the guide 46, the point of connection of the spring being in frontof the pivot 17 so that the guide will at all times exert a yieldingpressure along the edges of the strip of stamps passing along the table45, said guide 46 preventing the strip of stamps from curling up andinsuring the retention of the strip at all times in condition to beadvanced by the feed mechanism presently described.

The plunger is formed with an aperture 51 to receive the end of theshort arm of a lever 52 pivoted at 53 and having a spring 54: soconnected as to exert a constant tendency to hold the parts in theposition shown in Fig. 1. The end of the long arm of the lever 52 haspivotally connected thereto a link 55 having a slot 56 in which operatesa pin 57 projecting from the feed lever 58 the latter being pivoted at59 and having a horizontally projecting pin 60 (see Fig. 7) on which arepivotally mounted the feed fingers 61, the outer ends of said feedfingers having downwardly projecting points adapted to engage the usualperforations between the stamps of the strip. Of course the lever 58 andits feed fingers are so mounted or located that when in the forwardposition, such as shown in Fig. 1, the strip of stamps will be advancedto just the right position so that a line of perforations in the stripwill be approximately at the knife edge 39. The short rear ends of thepivoted fingers 61 are connected by springs 62 with a pin 63 proj ectingfrom the upper end of lever 58.

It will now be understood that, whenever the plunger head :29 isactuated, the first downward movement will simply oscillate the lever 52and perform no further function until the end of the slot 56 reaches thepin 57, after which continued movement of the plunger swings the lever58 backwardly far enough for the points of the fingers 61 to enter thenext row of holes in the strip of stamps, the last part of the downwardmotion of the plunger cutting off the stamp which is inclosed within thebox or guard 32. An envelop having a previously mois tened area locatedunder the box 32 will thus have the stamp aflixed thereto. lVhen theplunger head is released the spring 54L first lifts the plunger farenough for the movable knife to be shifted above the slot 44. and aboutthis time the other end of the slot 56 in link 55 engages the pin oflever 58 and swings said lever forwardly so as to advance the strip adistance equal to the length of another stamp, so as to advance. a stampunder the plunger foot ready to be cut off and be applied either toanother portion of the same envelop or to another envelop.

I may employ a suitable counter 64 having an arm 65 connected by a link66 with the lever 58 so that every movement of the feed lever 58 willactuate the counter to show the total number of stamps that have beenapplied or affixed by the machine.

It will be noticed, especially in Fig. 1, that the lower edge of the boxor guard 32 is but a very slight distance above the upper surface oftable 24. The distance is so slight that it would require considerablemanipulation for any one to insert an imple ment so as to get hold ofthe end of the strip of stamps to pull the same out. It would requiremore manipulation than could safely be given if the machine is withinthe view of other persons. But it is sometimes desirable that themachine shall be put absolutely out of commission so that it can neitherbe used, or robbed, by any unauthorized person. I provide for doing thisby forming the plunger 28 with a side recess or notch 67 (see Fig. 2) sothat, when the plunger is depressed far enough to cut off and afiix thelast stamp that is to be used by the authorized person, said notch maybe engaged by a locking pawl or detent 68, the position of this detentbeing such that it will, when in the notch 67 hold the plunger foot withthe movable knife across the slot 44: so that no one, even with plentyof time and an implement, could reach under and through the slot so asto pull the strip forwardly. The detent 68 is carried by the front endof a rock shaft 69 extending through the frame or casing and through abearing formed in a lug 70, said shaft having a milled knob 71 at itsrear end. A detent 72 is in constant engagement with the milled knob soas to hold the detent 68 either in the recess or notch 67, or out of it,according to which position it is left in by the person having authorityto open the machine. Such a person can release the lock 20 and turn theknob 71 so as to shift the detent 68 to the position desired, either torelease the plunger or to lock it in its depressed position.

I will now proceed to describe the attachment which provides formoistening the area of the envelop which is to have the stamp affixedthereto. A. somewhat L-shaped wick housing 7 8 is formed integral with areservoir 74, said housing and reservoir, when manufactured, having anopen side, the edge of said opening being in one fiat plane. Saidopening is closed by a plate 75 (see Fig. 2) preferably of brass so asto make the entire wick housing and reservoir waterproof. Before thisplate 7 5 is applied, I insert a block of felt or other suitableabsorbent material 7 6 having a form to correspond with a verticalsection through both the wick housing and the reservoir. The upperportion of this felt will, preferably, entirely fill the wick housingwhen the plate 75 is ap plied, while the lower portion of said wicksimply extends past or occupies one end of the reservoir portion of theattachment. The latter may have a suitable filling stopper 7 7 and maycontain a float 7 8 the stem 79 of which extends upwardly through thestopper 77 and has a ball 80 or other formation so as to constitute asight indicator so that the user may know if the reservoir needsfilling.

The combination reservoir and wick housing is attached to the side ofthe casing by suitable screws 81 in such position that a portion of thefelt which projects downwardly through an opening in the under side ofthe arm of the wick housing will be in such close proximity to the uppersurface of the table 24 that when an envelop is slipped along from theposition shown in Fig. 3 up against the gage 25, this sliding movementof the envelop will apply moisture to the upper surface of the envelop:where the stamp should go, the moistened area however of course being asmuch in excess of the dimensions of the stamp to be applied as the faceof the projecting portion of the wick exceeds the horizontal area of theplunger foot. This extra moistened surface will however of course soondry without harm after the stamp has been affixed to the envelop and theenvelop put aside for mailmg.

In order that the stamp will not be affixed to the envelop with the edgeof the stamp too close to the edge of the envelop, I undercut thestationary or fixed cutter so as to form a recess as at 82 under theedge 39, see Figs. 1 and 5. And in order that the envelop will be guidedto proper location with its edge in the recess 82, I form the table orplate 2 1 with a guide edge 88 (see Fig. 3) which is in alinement withthe back of the recess 82.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, a casing for receivingstamps in coil form, said casing having a separable hinge portionadapted to be opened to receive the stamp coil, a curved supportingmember on said portion on which the periphery of said coil may rest,means for feeding the strip from said coil and a plunger for affixingthe stamps.

2. In a machine of the character described, a plunger having a foot, ahousing for the latter, the rear plate of said housing being formed witha recess, a cutter mounted in said recess, the ends of the cutter andthe side walls of the recess being formed with notches, pins located insaid notches to lock the cutter in place, the upper edge of the latterbeing spaced from the opposing edge of the recess to form a slot, aplunger having an edge to cooperate with the cutter of the back plate ofthe housing, and means for feeding a strip of stamps through said slot.

3. A stamp aflixing machine, an affixing plunger, a stamp guard housingaround the lower portion of said plunger, the rear wall of said housingcomprising a recessed plate, a separate block having an upper cuttingedge secured in said recess leaving a space above providing a narrowrecess through which the stamp strip is fed over the out ting edge insaid block beneath the plunger, means for securing said plate to saidcasing and a blade carried by said plunger to cooperate with said fixedcutter plate.

4. In a stamp affixing machine, a table for the support of the stampstrip, a pivoted arm having two laterally projecting sub stantiallyparallel pins, a series of fingers mounted on the lower pin, tensionsprings connecting said fingers with the upper pin, and an affixingplunger by the movement of which said arm is positively oscillated tocause said fingers to feed the strip.

of the guide nearest to the coil being curved.

to present a flaring entrance for the strip between the table and guide,and means for detaching stamps from the strip and applying them toenvelops.

6. In a stamp affixing machine, a stamp 15 allixing plunger, a kneelever having one leg connected to said plunger and one ex tendingdownward, feeding fingers, an arm carrying said fingers and pivoted atits lower end, a slotted link connecting said downwardly extending legwith said arm, whereby the latter is actuated by but not through thewhole movement of the former and the stamp strip is fed on the upwardstroke of the plunger.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED R. ALLEN. l/Vitnessesz FREDINO A. GREENE, E. I. OGDEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

